US President Donald Trump said that removing Russia from the G8 group was a serious mistake. Speaking at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, Mr. Trump said: It was a big mistake. There would be no such conflict if the opponent were still at the table. At that time, I didn't even consider him an enemy."
Russia was a member of the G8 until 2014, when it was excluded from the group after the Crimean peninsula cayture. Mr. Trump's statement came as the G7 leaders - including the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the European Union - are looking to restore consensus in the context of escalating conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
During a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Mr. Trump refused to sign a draft calling for a reduction of tensions between Israel and Iran. A US official confirmed that Washington will not ratify joint statements on the issue.
This year's conference is facing the risk of not being able to make a joint statement, as the US side does not approve any of the draft documents on migration, artificial intelligence and the important mineral supply chain. European leaders, according to one diplomat, still maintain unity on most issues, but without Trump, the possibility of making a statement is uncertain.
This G7 summit also saw the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. European leaders hope to use this opportunity and the upcoming NATO summit to convince Trump to be tougher with Russia.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated: The G7 should aim to re-establish consensus so that Ukraine can reach a ceasefire and move towards a solid peace. The question is whether Trump is ready to impose stronger sanctions on Russia."
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump revealed that he had held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and proposed Russia's mediation role in the tensions between Israel and Iran. However, President Macron opposed the proposal, saying Moscow could not be a mediator because it had launched an illegal conflict with Ukraine.
